SON decries over 80% substandard goods imported into Nigeria

By Steve Agbota

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has lamented that imported goods accounted for over 80 per cent of substandard goods in the country.

Speaking yesterday at at a general sensitisation on PAM scheme in Lagos, the Director General, SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, who was represented by the Director, Product Certification Department, Engr. Onuchenyo Enebi, bemoaned that the nation’s manufacturing industry is already battling with the lingering effect that substandard goods have dealt on the economy and the myriads of challenges hindering the sector’s productivity.

However, he said the reason SON embarked on PAM scheme to further check on all imported products.

“This scheme places the power to detect, reject and report substandard goods in our markets in the hands of the consumers by simply scanning a QR code with their smart phone or sending an SMS to 281 before they buy. It will no doubt better position us at SON to protect our fellow citizens and ensure that we all get value for our money,” he said.

He said the task to sanitise the nation’s industries and markets is more urgent than ever before, stressing that in line with its mandate and backed with the provisions of the SON Act 2015, to amongst others facilitate trade and ensure that all imported and manufactured products meet the requirements of the relevant standards thereby promoting public safety, improve the lives and security of the citizens of Nigeria.

He said that the agency over the years has substantially reduced the importation, manufacturing and distribution of substandard products in the country through its Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) schemes respectively.

“Despite the efforts of the organisation, substandard products are still being imported or manufactured and distributed in the country through the use of fake SON stickers on non-certified products amongst others.

“To curb this disturbing occurrence in the country, the SON introduced the Product Authentication Mark (PAM) to facilitate the verification of the source and quality products in the Nigerian market. PAM is a digital technology to complement the SON Conformity Assessment Programmes (SONCAP and MANCAP) in furtherance of the fight against substandard and counterfeit products in Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, the PAM scheme will place Nigeria at an advantageous position at this time in history when Africa is looking to operate a borderless trade, with the actualisation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), maintaining that PAM would go a long way to ensure that Nigeria is not a dumping ground for substandard/inferior goods.

“We are grateful for the strong support and encouragement of the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI). I therefore wish to profoundly appreciate the Honourable Minister, Dr. Doris Uzoka — Anite and the entire Management of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment for their continuous support of the scheme,” he said.

However, the Director, Inspectorate and Compliance Department, SON, Pius Manji stated that Nigeria like other countries across the globe is plagued with the influx of substandard goods.

He explained that the influx of substandard goods are just like corruption which he said can only be reduced to its barest minimum, but not eradicated.

According to him, the cost of producing a sticker is astronomical due to its security features to guard against forgery, but stated that it has been subsidised to improve the services the agency renders to the public while also improving the lives of Nigerians through quality.

He noted that experience has shown that there are other routes through which people bring in goods to beat the system such as the SONCAP and MANCAP, so the PAM is more of a further check on all imported products.

“Even if we deploy all the staff of SON to check for substandard goods it will still not be enough considering the size of Nigeria and the distribution change. So far 10 local companies and manufacturing companies have already keyed into it.

“With PAM like the word says, the customers have the right to authenticate the product and verify the conformity of that product prior to paying for the products. The PAM sticker has 21 security features on it which is where a lot of people are expressing concerns, is a security print that has been practised in Kenya, Egypt, Uganda for over 10 years.

“PAM would curb the influx of substandard products because once there are no markets for substandard goods, these unscrupulous individuals will not sell. This is basically giving the Nigerian consumers the power to fight the influx of substandard products in addition to other measures we have put in place,” he assured.

On his part, the President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Custom’s Agent’s (ANLCA), Emenike Nwokeoji.commended SON for introducing the PAM scheme, saying it would go a long way to address the influx of substandard products imported from overseas.

He, however, reaffirmed ANCLA’s support to the scheme and vowed to key all of its members into the initiative.